My Hero
by zogen j dylan
Summary: *Tony had always been a patriotic guy. Then he met Leroy Jethro Gibbs* Tony/Gibbs Father/Son Labor Day story


**Since I've posted this everywhere else, I figured it should go on here too! A short Tony and Gibbs father/son fic in honor of Labor Day.**

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><p><strong>Title: <strong>_My Hero_

**Genre: **_Family_

**Rating: **_K+_

**Characters: **_Tony DiNozzo and Jethro Gibbs_

**Pairing: **_Tony/Gibbs father/son_

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><p><strong>My Hero<strong>

Tony had always been a patriotic kind of guy. He always looked forward to Labor Day, The Fourth of July, and all the other patriotic holidays of the year. Since his dad was never around, Tony had always found solace and fathership on TV watching all the heroes they showed. He looked up to these guys and wanted someone like them to be his dad.

Then he met Leroy Jethro Gibbs.

Sure, when they met they didn't exactly see eye-to-eye. Tony may have even disliked him a little bit. Gibbs was cocky and brash…like himself and a little bit like his father. But when Gibbs had invited Tony to become a part of his team and leave Baltimore, Tony couldn't say no. There was something about Gibbs that brought his attention alive. Something brave and loyal and true. Like those men he'd seen on TV when he was little.

Throughout the years, Tony had learned about Gibbs' military past. This made him look up to his boss even more. He'd become attached to Gibbs, like the father he never had. He became the little kid striving for his father's attention. Only Gibbs actually gave it to him and gave him praise and sometimes fault. But Tony didn't care. As long as it was love and attention he was getting, it was good enough for him.

Tony always loved asking Gibbs about his military training and what he did. He stayed away from the part where Shannon and Kelly had gotten killed, of course, but he always wanted to know what Gibbs did in the Marines. It intrigued him and interested him. He was just a little boy listening to his father's stories. The son he always wanted to be to the dad he always wanted.

The case for that night had been particularly hard on the entire team. Gibbs had invited Tony over for steak and beer, their usual forte. Tony never turned it down if it got him a chance to have some alone time with his hero, his boss, his "father".

Gibbs plated the steak and walked over to the lame excuse for a couch and coffee table he had at his place, where Tony was sitting and playing with his beer bottle. Tony looked like he had something on his mind and Gibbs could see right through it.

"What's on your mind?" Gibbs sat down and handed Tony a plate.

Tony took it and smiled a little bit. "Nothing much. I guess I'm just worn out. Long day. Tough case."

"You pulled through," Gibbs sounded proud, "you did good."

"Thanks, Boss," Tony took a bite of his steak and smiled closing his eyes. Being Italian, he was a great cook himself, but something about Gibbs' steaks always made him feel better. Maybe because his dad never cooked anything for him when he was younger. Maybe because he never had the chance to have this kind of bonding time with his own dad.

Gibbs looked back over at Tony. "So. What's on your mind then?"

Tony softly sighed. "My dad, I guess."

"What about him?"

"This," Tony waved his fork around, "we never really had this going on when I was little. Just sitting and talking. Having dinner and a beer. I never had something like that and I wish I would have. Maybe I wouldn't be the half-screwed up man I am today."

Gibbs gave him a look and shook his head. "You're not screwed up, DiNozzo."

"Easy for you to say. You were a hero. You served for the country and became the man you wanted to be. And your father wanted you to be. I became…LIKE my dad. A manwhore wannabe."

Gibbs softly smiled and laughed a little bit. "You're more than that, Tony and you know it. You're a good man and a good agent."

"But I'm nobody's hero," Tony took a drink of his beer.

"You are. For as long as you're in NCIS, you're a hero. As long as you help bring the men and women who serve our country to justice, you're a hero. You're looked up to," Gibbs looks at him, "you're more the man than your father ever was or could hope to be."

Tony smiled a little bit. "You really believe that?"

"I mean it. You have potential. One day, you'll be your own boss."

Setting his bottle down, Tony nodded feeling better already. "I'd like that."

"Good," Gibbs took a bite of his steak.

They sat in silence for a couple of minutes before Tony sat up straight and looked over at his boss. "Can I tell you something, Boss?"

Gibbs nodded and Tony took a small, deep breathe. "You're more a father to me than my own ever was. When I was little, I used to look at the men who served out country and think 'If I could have a dad like that…'. But then I met you and you took me in with open arms like I was your own. And when I learned about your military past…I felt like I belonged. Like you were always supposed to be my dad instead of Senior." Tony smiled. "You became my hero."

Looking over at Tony, Gibbs played a small smile on his face. He held up his beer bottle and Tony grinned, holding up his own. "To heroes," Gibbs gently pressed his bottle against Tony's.

"To you," Tony smiled, "Dad."

**End**

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><p><strong>How did you like it? Reviews please =)<strong>

**Jay **


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